Late warmth allows December adventures
By Edna Sailor
"It’s a different kind of snowboarding," according to Ruth Zacher, area paddleboarding enthusiast. She is talking about her adventures in late December of 2015 when she was able to paddleboard Lake Sakakawea along snow covered beaches.
Due to mild winter conditions, the lake provided open water nearly until Christmas and Zacher took full advantage of the situation. Ice fishermen may not have been happy about the late freeze up, but Zacher enjoyed her unique experience paddling along snow covered beaches. But this is North Dakota after all and the short lived opportunity ended with the lake freezing over.
"I’ll be the first to admit it’s not that safe to be on the water in December in North Dakota," Zacher said. "I challenged myself to see how late in the year I could paddleboard, but I also rode Harley many days in December as well. It’s kind of cold, but it’s also refreshing and liberating. I met a personal goal. One of the best days was the coldest, windiest day, when snowflakes were falling on my face and I felt like I was on a giant slushie."
A combination of circumstances led to Zacher’s pursuit of the sport.
